News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
The Overton County Budget Committee will go back to work on a new county budget after hearing from residents upset with a property tax increase and some of the spending in the budget.
Commissioner Geraldine Walker said the main concern she heard from the public about the last proposal was a $3 per hour raise proposed for all county employees. Walker said she wants to cut that number back in order to reduce the strain on the county’s budget.
“I’m not saying that every county employee does not deserve a raise,” Walker said. “They certainly do, but not at the burden it would put on the taxpayers. So I’m hoping we can find a solution that would get everybody some sort of raise, but with the people in public safety getting a larger raise.”
Commissioner Lee Richards said they should prioritize raises for sheriff and EMT personnel to combat the severe employee retention issue in both departments. Richards said turnover has been so bad that the county is effectively training emergency staff for other counties and cities.
“I think those are probably the most vital parts of our county,” Richards said. “If we don’t have our EMT to answer calls or sheriff’s department to answer calls, then we’re not doing our job correctly.”
Walker said the hefty property tax had been proposed because it was seen as the only way to generate the revenue they need by the time they need it. She said sales and wheel taxes would not fix the issue because they take much longer to implement and have to be passed with a referendum.
“Both those things, and this is a Tennessee law, have to go on the ballot and be voted in by the people,” Walker said. “So the sales tax – and that can’t happen until two years from now in the election because you have to have – there’s a time frame you can get it on the ballot, so we can’t get it on the ballot for the upcoming August or November election.”
Walker said commissioners did not have any other items they considered cutting when going over the previous budget proposal.
“We actually went through the budget before it was voted on and looked at things to see if there was other things in there that we could cut out, and at the time we did not see anything,” Walker said. “But it certainly can be looked at again, yes, to see if there’s anything else in there that we could cut out.”
Both commissioners said that part of the need for this increase in revenue is due to the settlement that recently cost the county some $1.3 million.
“It’s going to take everybody and all departments together to kind of work with us on this to cut corners and come up with a resolution that everyone can be satisfied with,” Richards said. “Or – it’s very difficult to satisfy everybody, as you well know, but, you know, at least the majority.”
Richards said he hopes the new budget proposal can restore some of the community’s trust in the commission. Both commissioners said that no additional budget meetings have been scheduled yet.
